Book Review

Eye and Skin Disease

N Engl J Med 1996; 334:1613-1614June 13, 1996

Article

Eye and Skin Disease
Edited by Mark J. Mannis, Marian S. Macsai, and Arthur C. Huntley. 705 pp., illustrated. Philadelphia, Lippincott–Raven, 1996. $225. ISBN: 0-7817-0269-0

Having trained at a medical school where the ophthalmology and dermatology departments were strongly oriented toward internal medicine and where many faculty members in these departments were able to diagnose and treat systemic diseases, I quickly discerned the many similarities in approach between these two fields. Ophthalmologists and dermatologists frequently use visual clues as a key to physical diagnosis. Specialists in both fields have compiled color atlases to assist other physicians. To date, no book has brought these areas together. Eye and Skin Disease, edited by two ophthalmologists (both corneal specialists) and a dermatologist, superbly fills the void. It teaches ophthalmology to dermatologists, teaches dermatology to ophthalmologists, and provides primary care physicians with important information on both fields.

The 73 chapters have been written by specialists in ophthalmology or dermatology. A wide series of topics — including congenital, hereditary, and metabolic diseases; immunologic and inflammatory diseases; and tumors — are described. Each chapter has a section entitled “Key Clinical Points” that summarizes the important information in the chapter, and the text is supported by superior clinical photographs.

The chapters describe the ophthalmologic and dermatologic findings in each disease and review the pathogenesis, differential diagnosis, histopathological findings, and management. Up-to-date references follow. In some areas, such as the chapter on amyloidosis, the brief discussions do not provide a current summary of the field. The final portions of the book consist of a differential-diagnosis index, a glossary of dermatologic terms for ophthalmologists, a glossary of ophthalmologic terms for dermatologists, and a subject index.

I evaluated in detail several areas that represent obvious matches between ophthalmology and dermatology. For instance, the chapter on incontinentia pigmenti describes ophthalmologic and dermatologic findings and other systemic findings and provides an excellent summary of this rare disease. Another juxtaposition of the two fields includes the chapters on ocular and cutaneous melanoma.

It is hard to find fault with this wonderful book. It should not be read from cover to cover, but instead should be used as an entry into the field. If the editors had included a retinal specialist, then the retinal descriptions might be as strong as those of external-eye findings. I believe that many readers will be as charmed by this book as I was.

Lee M. Jampol, M.D.
Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611

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